Author of

Macaron Tutorial

Friday, February 20, 2009

(For the book giveaway, scroll down to the end of this post)

I am really excited to introduce you to Anita from Married With Dinner as my guest blogger this weekend. When I first started blogging, there weren't as many blogs to get lost into captivated by delicious recipes and lovely photos. One lucky day 3 years ago, I landed on Anita's blog and I could not stop reading, still can't. We virtually met around a box of macarons and I can't wait for the day I bake a batch with her. As their "about" page states, "Married …with dinner chronicles the continuing adventures of a couple of San Francisco food dorks. Cameron and Anita are both professional writers, amateur cooks, cocktail geeks, and avid diners." I am always in admiration of their mixology knowledge and creations, as well as their awareness of local artisans, food and produce. I can't wait for the day we meet when we can celebrate life and friendship around a good meal.

When Tartelette asked me to take a turn at posting, I froze. See, I love to cook, I'm a pretty good bread-baker, and I've been known to crank out the occasional homespun cake or pie. But to create something worthy of Tartelette -- something as beautiful and impressive and drool-worthy as the sorts of things you're used to seeing here -- well, I wasn't quite sure I was the right girl for the job.

I poured over cookbooks, went through my archives, begged friends for ideas. Then, when I'd almost given up, I sat down to do my weekly meal planning... and inspiration struck. In the back of my "to-try-someday" recipe file was a dessert I'd been wanting to make, tucked away for an occasion when I needed something special: Ice cream flavored with the French herbal liqueur Chartreuse.

Chartreuse is one of my favorite liqueurs; its spicy complexity adds a layer of mystery to so many wonderful cocktails, and it's also a fabulous treat to sip on its own as a digestif. But until I read David Lebovitz's ice cream compendium, The Perfect Scoop, it had never occurred to me to use it in food. It only took me 18 months to actually find a suitable occasion!

I spun a batch and set it in the freezer to firm up overnight. The next morning, I couldn't wait to taste a sample: Oh, what a heavenly thing it was, light and bright from the addition of sour cream, with a haunting herbal shadow of Chartreuse in the place where you'd expect to find vanilla. I'd only intended to sample a small spoonful, to check the result of my work. But I couldn't stop: I ended up eating a whole bowl of the stuff for breakfast!

When I confessed to David that his recipe was so good that I'd scarfed an entire serving before work, he wasn't surprised: "I love that recipe," he confided, and patiently assured me I shouldn't worry about its detrimental effects on my morning routine. "I actually developed it for a low-fat magazine -- It is healthy!"

Of course, I'm of the school of thought that even full-fat ice cream is good for you. After all, there's nothing wrong with eggs and dairy, in moderation. But David's lean-and-clean version is a worthy treat in its own right, not just as a healthy alternative. Without any eggs, you might expect it to be more like a gelato. But instead, it's almost sherbet-like, with a snowy lightness that sets off the richness of any accompaniments.

Unfortunately, even the most delicious bowl of ice cream looks a little ho-hum in photos, and we needed a Tartelette-worthy masterpiece! So I decided to take the plunge and try my hand at a batch of profiteroles to fill with the ice cream. And here's a secret I wished I'd known years ago: As long as you have a pastry bag and a stand mixer, making pate a choux -- the basis for eclairs, cream puffs, and profiteroles -- is surprisingly simple.

But if, despite my assurances, the idea of whisking eggs into a hot dough seems a little too intimidating, you have my permission to sidestep the profiteroles, provided that you give this beautiful Chartreuse ice cream a little boost of richness with a drizzle of hot fudge. After all, as David told me, "Chocolate sauce is obligatory, even at breakfast."

Preheat the oven to 425F. Set up a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.Sift the flour and set aside. Heat the water, milk, butter, and salt to a full rolling boil. Stir the flour into the liquid with a heavy wooden spoon, adding it as fast as it can be absorbed, but not all at once or it will form clumps. Cook the paste, stirring constantly and breaking up lumps if necessary, until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan, about 2 to 3 minutes.Transfer the dough to the mixer bowl and stir at low speed to cool the paste slightly, so that the eggs will not cook when added. On medium-low, mix in the eggs one at a time, then the egg white. The dough should have the consistency of thick mayonnaise.While the dough is still warm, place it in a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe quarter-sized puffs about 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat, then use a moistened spoon (or finger) to smooth out the tails at the top.Bake at for 15 minutes at 425F without opening the oven door, then reduce heat to 350F and continue to bake until done, about 7 to 12 minutes.To check for doneness, remove one puff from the sheet and tap the underside with your fingers; it should feel firm and hollow. (If you undercook the puffs, they may deflate as they cool, so err on the side of golden brown rather than pale). When baked through, remove the puffs from the oven and let cool.

Easiest Chocolate Sauce Recipe

Confession time: I cheated and used a jar of Scharffen-Berger chocolate sauce I already had on hand. (It's delicious and locally made, so it's hard to feel too guilty.) But making your own chocolate sauce is dead simple with this recipe, which I've used in the past with great results.

Set a a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Melt all ingredients in the bowl, stirring until the mixture is smooth.

To assemble the profiteroles:Cut each puff in half through the equator; it's easiest if you use a serrated knife. Place three bottom layers on each plate; top each with a small scoop of chartreuse ice cream. Place the tops on the puffs, and drizzle with chocolate sauce.

You will have plenty of leftover ice cream for weeknight treats (or breakfast!).

I also want to thank you for stopping here like you do by giving one lucky person a copy of The Baker's Odyssey, by Greg Patent, a whopping 400 pages dedicated to the recipes and culinary history of American immigrants from all over the world. I have already mentionned this gem of a book with the Princess Torte recipe and I would love to send the extra copy that I have to one of you.

All you have to do is leave a commentbetween today Friday February 20th and Monday February 23rd midnight (US Eastern time). A reader will be chosen at random and announced later that week (duplicate comments will be deleted and if you wish to remain anonymous, please at least sign Zorro or something)

Oh! I am SO glad that this recipe was posted.I make homemade pizza and ice cream with my boyfriend every weekend, and it's my turn to do the dessert on Sunday. I was trying to figure out what to make to top his bacon ice cream last week and my crushed hazelnut ice cream the week before... and I think this will do the trick.

I would also love the book, but I'm more excited to tell you how I'm going to make those puffs.

Chartreuse ice-cream, I don't think I would have thought about that... but hey, combine dessert and digestifs in one (or two)scoops! I must try this one - chartreuse is not my favorite liqueur but it IS in my liqueur cabinet, and I do like herbal ice-cream...

Congrats on your being named in the top 50, certainly something to be proud of, but you definitely deserve it. It seems to me that in the last year your photography has gotten really good! I have one of Greg Patents other books, and have gotten some great recipes out of it. This one sounds like it would be a lot of fun. Recipes that are passed down through generations and cultures are ususally some of the best. Greg was on to a terrific idea for a book!

I almost hate to admit the fact that, though I have made and eaten choux as eclairs, cream puffs and even stuffed with chicken salad from my mom... I have still never had them with ice cream. I really do need to fix that soon!

You know, heaven is not all white and blue as reported it is really Chartreuse Green! I've cooked with it a few times but never Ice Cream, will have to try this soon......On Profiteroles with chocolate? more heaven......Thank You!!!!!

I'm trying to build up my cookbook collection and I'm sure my husband would appreciate me adding one that I didn't have to pay for :-)Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe as well as introducing me to another local blogger.

I would absolutely LOVE to win Baker's Odyssey...it looks like such a great book!

I was flipping through The Perfect Scoop a few days ago and thought about making the chartreuse ice cream, but went with another recipe instead. Now I'll definitely have to give this one a shot after seeing these lovely profiteroles! =)

I would love to win the book. I had The Perfect Scoop for ages and I have not made this ice cream. Perhaps its time to get my ice cream maker out of storage and start churning out ice cream. Love the recipe for the ice cream sauce too.

Lovely. So much more interesting than plain old profiteroles. This reminds me of a wonderful little bar near me where my friends and I go for drinks and where we were most pleasantly surprised on a cold cold day by mugs of steaming hot chocolate with chartreuse recommended by the barman.

I read Anita! She's in my feed :) I'm just crap at commenting, but I wish I had as much style as her. Hi Anita - FABOO job on the post. I heart Mr. Lebovitz and his whole ice cream book. I know zippo about booze, but you my dear - you are like the booze goddess and my curiosity is now piqued about chartreuse. Mmmm.

I'm definetly going to have to try that ice cream because of the wonderful sounding description you gave!! Your profiterals look delicious and I am jealous of them because when I make them at work, although they are easy to make, I always mess them up!

What an awesome giveaway! And I'm jealous on the pate a choux - I've only been successful with them 50% of the time. The Art and Soul of Baking version is the best so far for me. It makes glorious, chocolate pudding-like pate a choux dough...

I used to make hundreds, nay thousands of choux when I worked at the Westin hotel a few years ago, funny I haven't made them since. After seeing your presentation and how delicious it looks - I may just have to make a batch!

These look great. I've never heard of Chartreuse ice cream but it definitely looks rather tasty. Kudos to the guest blogger, but all your blogging posts have made me wish that I could have your baking skills.

I have recently found your blog and I am completely in love with it! The pictures are beautiful and I can't wait to try my hand at one of the many recipes that you have shared! (I was going to try some today, but a snow storm has kept me from the store for some needed supplies. Maybe next weekend!)

I have never heard of the book you are giving away but it sounds absolutely amazing!!

A couple of months ago my mom gave me this old box of mugs that she bought back in the 70s to have a SWAMPWATER party. There are invitations (postcards) and napkins along with the glasses. When I read the recipe for the swampwater it called for chartreuse but I hadn't seen any recently so I figured I would never get the chance to taste swampwater. I guess my luck has changed :)

I have been reading so much about The Perfect Scoop... Must add to the get-this-now-list! Also, I recently made pate a choux for the first time and once over my fear of whipping raw eggs into a hot steamy flour mixture, I was shocked at how easy it was to make. Thanks for the op to win this book. I love your blog.

What a lovely write-up Anita. Brilliant guest post with awesome ice-cream. With Helen's Burnt Sugar ice-cream already bookmarked, have added this one too.The profiteroles are perfect & beautiful. Now I shall dream of the book!!!

The pastry puffs look like a dessert I had at a restaurant a few months ago. It was the so yummy! They filled 3 mini cream puffs with 3 different flavors of gelatto, and topped them with a fudgy chocolate sauce. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

You posted about profiteroles the day I came back from my first trip to France! I had them my first night, they're divine. In fact, just about everything I ate there was divine. The whole trip was a complete dream, and I wish to go back very much. Thank you for posting it; now I can try it at home and reminisce. Merci beaucoup :)